Former NT top cop faces charge by phone

The former police commissioner of the Northern Territory has not appeared in court to face the charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Instead, John McRoberts and his lawyer connected by telephone to the Darwin Local Court on Monday morning.

The charge against him relates to his alleged interference into the criminal investigation of his alleged lover Xana Kamitsis, a travel agent and former chair of Crimestoppers NT.

She was sentenced to almost four years in prison in December on corruption and fraud charges, after she was found to have ripped off a government subsidised pensioner travel scheme by over $120,000.

McRoberts stepped down as commissioner in January last year, and three separate reviews followed, one conducted by the NT Ombudsman into police conflicts of interest, one by the Information and Privacy Commissioner, which has not been made public, and one by the Australian Federal Police.

They handed their case file to Victorian special prosecutor Lesley Taylor QC, who is in Darwin to prosecute the case.

She declined to comment to reporters on Monday.

McRoberts will again appear by phone link on July 6 for a preliminary examination mention.